Sorry I haven't been posting on a regular basis. I've been deep in some crazy amount of work for DR that's taking ALL of my time. If you've ever worked many consecutive 16 hour days then you'll know what I'm talking about. It's like I get up, sit down at the computer, work like mad and then go to bed. I'm not complaining, but that's my reasoning for not posting more frequently.

So, what is it that we're working on so hard?

Well, the some details can't be shared until we've worked things out with management and decide that we can make them public. I expect to be able to announce our long-term plans for the game within the next month.

There are many things that I can share, though. Here's a list of things that are on the way in the next build:

1. We've been working on a new website. It's nearly complete and allows you to play the game directly within your browser if you like. This also includes a better integration of the forums and a specialized support site.

2. We've got a new game launcher completed that is much lighter than the PlayNC launcher and is more integrated with the game. It's really nice.

3. We've been working on a new streaming download system for the game. This system will allow players to get into the game much more quickly with a minimum download. As you play, entering new zones, content is downloaded on demand. This will save us money on bandwidth and make it easier for you to play. No more "massive" patches to be applied.

4. We've implemented our Townston's Universally Recognized Dollars and added many things that can be purchased in the game with this new microtransaction system. I'll post a followup on this new feature within a few weeks to make clear how it's gonna work.

5. We've implemented shadows! The game looks so nice with shadows, I'm happy to say.

6. Lot of new items have been added.

7. DirectX integration is much nicer now. The game properly detects the need to upgrade DirectX and sends you to a website to help you with the upgrade process.

As you can see, this next build is mostly an infrastructure and billing system update. These changes are required for what's to come for the game -- but I still can't tell you about that yet. Expect more news to unfold over the next month!

Thanks for your patience with the trickle of information.

steve